Boston Dynamics and Toyota Demo AI-Powered Atlas Humanoid
- Niv Nissenson
- Aug 25
- 2 min read
Boston Dynamics and the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) have announced a breakthrough in robotics research: using a Large Behavior Model (LBM) to power Boston Dynamics’ Atlas humanoid robot.
In a newly released video, Atlas performs a continuous sequence of complex tasks — packing, sorting, organizing — while adapting in real time to unexpected challenges. Unlike previous humanoid systems that separate locomotion and manipulation, this experiment uses a single model controlling the entire robot, treating hands and feet as part of one system.
Why This Matters
The demonstration shows how LBMs can rapidly add new skills to robots without manual coding. Researchers say this is a step toward general-purpose humanoids — robots capable of adapting to a wide variety of environments and tasks with minimal reprogramming.
The work builds on an October 2024 partnership between Boston Dynamics and TRI, aimed at accelerating the development of “smart robots.” Both organizations highlight the potential of humanoids to operate seamlessly in human-designed environments.
The Bigger Picture in Robotics
Boston Dynamics already deploys task-specific robots in industry:
Spot — a quadruped used for inspections and safety monitoring.
Stretch — a robot designed for moving boxes in warehouses.
Atlas — still experimental, but now positioned as a possible platform for more general-purpose humanoid development.
For Toyota, the project ties into its broader focus on human-centered AI and robotics that amplify human abilities.
TheMarketAI.com Take
While the Atlas demo is impressive, we remain skeptical that general-purpose humanoid robots will be broadly useful. Outside of a few specialized scenarios — environments explicitly built for humans where form factor matters — the case for humanoids is weak.
History suggests that task-specific robots are far more practical and commercially viable. A warehouse robot, for example, doesn’t need to look or move like a person — it needs to move boxes efficiently. Boston Dynamics’ own Stretchand Spot are evidence of this: focused, specialized machines with clear use cases and real customers.
That doesn’t mean smaller companies and research groups won’t innovate in humanoid robotics. But when it comes to scaling AI-powered automation, domain-specific robots are more likely to succeed than human-shaped ones.
